Playing House
by DishonoredInk
Summary: When a man begins stalking and murdering couples that all live in the same gated community, Nick and Olivia go undercover. How will Nick Amaro handle playing house with the woman he'd fallen for? M for future sexual content. (Formerly titled Husband & Wife.)
1. Chapter 1

Title: Playing House.

Summary: When a man begins stalking and murdering couples that all live in the same gated community, Nick and Olivia go undercover. How will Nick Amaro handle playing house with the woman he'd fallen for?

AN:

Oh and do you like their undercover last name? It cracked me up.. just a bit.

WARNING: First parts are graphic and violent, next parts get fluffier.

This was originally going to be a one shot, but I figured, why not?

PS. Partners will be updated soon!

Oh and I got this idea in a dream, so my subconscious thought it was good. I hope you guys will too.

**Please let me know if you think I should continue this?**

* * *

Chapter 1: Matching Rings.

Nick's POV:

The whole squad was frustrated and Nick could see it clearly. Fin hadn't stopped pacing, Amanda was staring at the board trying to figure out some connection that the rest of them had skipped over, Olivia was on her fourth cup of coffee- of the hour, and Nick was easing his tension by watching Olivia. The brunette had her head buried in the case file, only coming up to listen to Amanda's failed attempts to create a more solid profile of their perp and to refill her coffee cup.

Nick had always enjoyed watching Olivia work, she was a true force when they had a case. He loved the fire in her eyes when they interviewed a suspect, the way she was so compassionate with the victims, how she fought for what she believed in. It was one of the first things he'd noticed when he started on SVU, her passion for the job was overwhelming.

This whole thing had begun a few weeks ago, when the first couple had been found murdered in their home- SVU hadn't been called in until at least 48 hours into the investigation when the Medical Examiner discovered the wife had extreme vaginal tearing, indicating that she'd been brutally raped before her death. With the next few couples it had become more apparent that they were sex crime's. The wife would always be found nude and raped, the husband was always found strapped to a chair- probably forced to watch the whole thing.

The only connecting factors about these couples was that they lived in the same gated in community of Riverbed, had all been relatively new to the neighborhood, all the couples had been stalked (the killer had to know their routines), and they were all interracial which probably made these crimes of hate.

All they had on the perp was that he either worked in Riverbed, knew somebody that lived in Riverbed, or lived there himself because he knew the access code for the gate, He targeted interracial couples, and that this guy knew what he was doing- he'd worn gloves, used a condom, and nobody in the neighborhood had seen anybody going in or out of the homes.

Nick sighed as he watched Olivia get up for the fifth time to refill her coffee cup. Olivia only got like this when she was deep in thought. She had been trying to find something for over an hour- and the more frustrated she became- the more coffee she drank. Nick was seriously contemplating cutting her off.

Suddenly Cragen barged from his office, coming to stand in the middle of his squad. "Has anybody made any progress since I checked two hours ago?"

"Captain, we're trying here but there's nothing more we have to go on," Amanda sighed. "We've tried talking to the other residents but they all lawyer-ed up as soon as we stepped foot on their lawn, there's no DNA, and there hasn't been another murder for a week- which means he's probably about to strike again."

Fin stopped pacing and moved to stand next to Amanda at the board, "She's right captain, we've hit a wall here."

"Benson and Amaro, please tell me you've got something," Cragen frowned.

Nick just shook his head and Olivia didn't even bother looking up, only took another sip of her coffee.

"Then we're gonna have to figure out another way in," Cragen said simply. "Who tried talking to the residents?"

"Me and Fin took the residents, Benson and Amaro have been leaning on the ME," Amanda said.

"I have an idea that just might work," Cragen murmured more to himself, than to his team.

"What you thinking Captain?" Fin asked.

"I'm thinking we need to have some under cover's. Benson and Amaro haven't been seen by the residents, they'd be interracial, and they'd be new to the neighborhood," Cragen tapped his finger on his chin. "They fit the killers type exactly."

"Hey Liv," Nick yelled, with a small smile on his lips.

Nick watched as Olivia looked his way for the first time that day, her brown orbs meeting his. "Wanna be my wife?" Nick asked, full on grinning now.

~X0~X0~X0~

Nick Amaro would be lying if he said he was excited. He'd been all smiles and positive energy at first, happy to be going back undercover- even if it was as a rich couple. But then he'd realized what exactly the job entailed, he had to live in the same house with Olivia, had to sleep in the same bed, had to socialize with Olivia by his side- as his wife. Nick honestly didn't know how he was going to do it without snapping.

It had been a year since Nick had realized his feelings for his partner and he'd tried to keep being professional, admiring her only when her back was turned. Now he was expected to live with her for the next week or two, and he honestly didn't know how he was going to make it. He couldn't even handle standing too close to her at work.

On the morning of their assignment they were directed to dress casually and to show up in the squad room at eight sharp. She'd of course been the first one there, and Nick's pants had tightened when he saw her. His eyes had traveled from her toes to her head, taking her in. She wore a pair of boots, tight black jeans that hugged her ass deliciously, and a black tank top with a leather jacket thrown over it. Nick hadn't been able to focus on their briefing at all because he'd been trying to glance at his partners backside without her noticing the whole time.

The precinct had given them everything they'd need to blend in: they'd gotten a rental car, a spending allowance, a house in the neighborhood, and new I.D's. They had been directed to their car after the meeting, with instructions to head to the new house.

It was about thirty minutes into their trip when Olivia suddenly cleared her throat, and looked up from the file she'd been reading, "Did you memorize our back story?"

Nick was a bit startled, this was the first time she'd spoken since they started driving. Taking his eyes off the road for one second, he looked over to her. "No, I didn't get a chance before we left, could you read it to me?"

Olivia nodded and flipped their file back open, "Well our cover names are Olivia and Nick Bensaro- they figured it'd be easier to keep our first names seeing as we might be there a while, we've been married for 3 years now, we got married on a beach in Miami, we met in college," Olivia rolled her eyes but continued, "We moved here because I got a job offer. You work from home designing websites and I'm on the board of directors for some university. We have no children, but we've been trying. Also," Olivia opened the envelope that was inside the file, turning it over and shaking it out. "Here's your ring." She took one of his hands off the wheel, and quickly slipped the ring onto his finger. Nick gulped and tried to stay focused on the road.

He'd been apart of over a dozen high end drug busts, he'd taken down a prostitution ring, and he faced horrible crimes everyday, but he had no idea how he was going to pull off sharing a house with Olivia.

He only hoped there was a church around town, cause he'd definitely need to confess some sins by the time this was over.

~X0~X0~X0~X0~

Nick sighed as he managed to get the door unlocked on the third try. They'd just gotten to their new house and he'd been surprised, it was amazing. When they stepped over the threshold he did a double take. The place was elegant but it was also filled with cardboard boxes. Movers had been moving boxes into their new place for the past two days- some of the boxes contained actual household items, but most of them contained wires and camera equipment.

He heard Olivia close the door and gasp as she took in the boxes. "Guess we're gonna have to unpack ourselves," Olivia said, shaking her head.

She walked past him and headed into another part of the house, Nick followed. The kitchen was extremely updated, the best appliances had been installed in the house, and Olivia looked like she was in heaven.

"Nick, I hope you can cook, cause I don't know how we're supposed to order takeout when we have a kitchen like this in our house."

Nick chuckled and grabbed a box off the counter yanking it open, "You're in luck, Liv. My mother taught me to cook, said it would help her get grand babies faster."

Olivia stepped close to him, peering into the open box. "It looks like they unpacked the household stuff, I guess all we have to do is get the cameras."

Nick could feel Olivia's heat radiating through his shirt. He wanted so badly to turn around and lift her up onto that counter, but he just gritted his teeth and said, "I really hope they included instructions."


	2. Chapter 2

AN: There weren't that many reviews, but there were follows and faves- so I thank you all for your support.

Please, if you like my story, leave me a review. It lets me have some feedback and inspires me to write.

I had such fun writing their house life. Oh my bensaro heart!

Chapter two: Let's Settle in.

* * *

Nick POV:

A beautiful smile graced Olivia's face as she entered the living room, looking at her struggling partner. "Done," she announced with a proud smirk.

Nick couldn't believe it. The camera's had come with the most vague set of instructions- that they even beat out IKEA. Nick had felt confident starting, and he'd managed to piece most of the camera together with ease, until the last step. Nick couldn't figure out how to attach the camera to the wall holder and had been struggling with it for over thirty minutes. They'd agreed to split the cameras, he'd originally taken the kitchen, the hallway, the stairs, and the living room, while Olivia took the backyard, the front yard, the basement, and the guestroom. He'd been in the middle of putting together his first camera in the living room, when Olivia had come in. He was so invested in his work, he hadn't noticed as she stood in the doorway watching him curse and fight to keep his cool. He also hadn't noticed as she quietly took rest of the cameras he was supposed to set up out of the room.

"Need help, Nick?" Olivia chuckled from behind him. Nick didn't answer, only slammed the screwdriver down with frustration. Who made these things? Couldn't the team have installed the camera's?

"I don't know how I'm supposed to set all of the others up, when I can't even handle this." Nick sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Olivia squatted down next to him and rubbed his shoulder, "It's okay Nick, relax. I took care of them."

Nick looked over at the corner where he'd set the rest of his cameras, it was empty. He glanced at her with confusion written all over his face, "What happened to the rest of the cameras, Liv?"

"I finished with mine, so I came in to see if you needed some help. I saw you.. struggling and I thought I'd help you out," Olivia said. "I got the rest of them done, only places that are camera free are the bedroom and the bathrooms. We just gotta put this one up, and we're done."

Nick couldn't believe it. Olivia had done the whole house in the amount of time it had taken him to piece one together. He was embarrassed out of his mind, he hadn't been of any help to her at all. "How did you manage to do all..that?" Nick asked, his mouth hanging open. "You obviously got the better set of instructions."

"Obviously," Olivia rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Here," Olivia murmured. "Why don't you let me help you with that?" Suddenly Nick couldn't think because Olivia was behind him, leaning over him, her arms were on either side of his head. She took the camera from his hands, leaning further into him so she could see better. "Your problem was that you had the screw in the wrong place," Olivia whispered into his ear. Nick almost groaned as he felt Olivia's breasts softly brushing against his back. He tried to concentrate as he watched her screw the last nail into place, but her proximity was really getting to him. Her perfume surrounded him and all Nick wanted to do was bury his face into that scent.

"There," Olivia said, satisfaction lacing her voice. "We're all done, Amaro." Nick almost sighed with relief when she backed up, he watched her as she stood up. He handed her the camera off the floor as she climbed onto the couch. "It's supposed to go in the corner, so nobody will notice it," Olivia murmured, as she stood on the tips of her toes trying to reach the right spot.

Just as she managed to get the camera in the hole, she wobbled. Nick was on her before she even had a chance to loose her balance, his hands resting softly on her hips as he steadied her. Her hips felt amazing in his hands, and he more than tempted to his hands around to her backside and fill them with two well rounded globes. Instead he tightened his grip and held her upright until she'd screwed the camera fully into place.

The doorbell rang. Nick sighed, and helped Olivia down. She brushed her clothes down awkwardly, and moved towards the hall.

"I'll get it, Liv. Probably just the neighbors," Nick said. He needed to get away from her for a moment, the effect she had on his ability to think was astounding. Nick smoothed his hands down over his jeans before he stepped around her, making his way down the hall to the front door. He took a breath and put on a smile before his hand went to the knob, opening the door slowly as he prepared himself.

"Hi, I'm Pam Stafford and this is my husband Ken," The woman at the door had obviously fake blonde hair, she was short, maybe late thirty's, and she was wearing a broad smile. The man next to her was wearing a matching grin, but he looked a bit older than her, Nick guessed early fifties, he was also huge- round and tall.

"Hey," Nick said. "I'm Nick Bensaro. It's great to meet some of the neighbors," Nick extended his hand to them both, giving them a firm shake and a smile.

"It's always nice to see new faces around here. Where did you move from, Nick?" Pam asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Just got here from Miami. It was time for a change," Nick informed the couple.

"Oh, it's just you here?" Ken asked. "Awful big house for one man."

This was beginning to feel more like an interrogation but it was crucial that they make friends in this neighborhood, so Nick just kept his smile and answered their questions.

"Oh, no. It's me and my wife, Olivia," Nick said through clenched teeth. "She must still be unpacking the kitchen, we've been busy with all the boxes. I'm sure you know how frustrating moving can be."

Pam smile grew even wider (it was starting to creep him out), "Of course, we've all been there. We'd love to meet Olivia, but we see that you guys are busy."

"Why don't y'all come down to the neighborhood cookout tomorrow?" Ken suddenly chimed in. "You could meet everybody, and you'll have a great time. Scouts honor." Ken finished with a obnoxiously loud chuckle.

Nick nodded his head, faking enthusiasm. "That sounds great, we'd love to come down."

Pam gave him the address and then after a few more words they finally exchanged goodbyes. Nick waved as they made their way down the driveway, and once they were out onto the street her shut the door.

Amen that was over with, they'd obviously put on a nice front but Nick had seen straight threw them. They'd come over to see if their new neighbors would be an issue. Obviously Nick had passed some kind of test, and he'd gotten them invited to a party tomorrow. Nick sighed and made his way back down the hall, to the living room. Olivia was gone.

"Hey, Olivia?" Nick called, walking further down the hall. He knew it was irrational but he was starting to get a little panicked. She was here a moment ago, nothing could've happened to her. "Olivia!" He called more urgently this time, poking his head in the kitchen and checking both downstairs bathrooms.

"Nick, I'm upstairs."

Nick sighed with relief and made his way to the steps, taking them two at a time. The upstairs floor was better than downstairs, the architecture of the whole place was gorgeous and it was all beautifully decorated, but the upstairs took the cake. It wasn't a very large space, there was a small hall that lead to a wide set of double doors. Nick took a breath and entered the room. The first thing he noticed was the amount of sunlight in the room, there were two huge windows on one side of the room covered with sheer white curtains that did little to block the sun. Then his eyes took in the rest of the room. The theme of the bedroom seemed to be brown and white, there was brown carpet that covered the whole floor. In the middle of the room was a large King bed, covered with a white comforter but decorated with Brown pillows. The walls had been painted brown, with a line of white running through the middle. There was a dresser off to the side, and then there was another door.

"Olivia?" He said aloud.

"In here. This bathroom is amazing, Nick."

Nick smiled and walked over to the side of the room, opening the door. The bathroom was obviously meant for two, there were matching his and hers sinks, a two person bathtub that had jets on the side of it, and marble surrounding it. She caught his eye immediately. She was on her knees next to the bathtub, putting away her shampoos and soaps. "I started unpacking my stuff, I haven't gotten to the clothes yet. Feel free to pick your drawers," Olivia said, still not looking up.

Nick nodded. It was surreal, being with her like this. He had to remind himself that it wasn't real, no matter how much he wished it was. He backed out of the bathroom and made his way to the bedroom. Olivia must've brought his bag up when she brought hers up, that was another thing he loved about the woman. She always did things for others. Nick grabbed his bag off the floor, and set it on the bed unzipping it.

The precinct had already filled the closet with clothes they were to wear in public, but the dresser was for clothes they could wear around the house. Nick just grabbed his jeans out of the bag and carried them over to the dresser, opening the third drawer he threw them in. Nick repeated the process with the rest of his clothes, filling up the 3rd and 4th drawers of the wardrobe. He'd left the top ones for Olivia, figuring it'd be easier for her.

Once he closed the drawers he walked over to the closet, pulling the door open. It was a walk-in and Nick was able to pick out his side immediately. They'd given him suits, sweaters, slacks. Great, Nick thought. He was not attending a party in a dress shirt. Going threw the rack, Nick found an assortment of polo style shirts. They'd have to do for tomorrow. Sighing, Nick put the shirts back and exited the closet. Olivia was in the bedroom now, she was neatly folding her clothes into the drawers and Nick's eyes softened as he watched her. By the time she turned around, Nick had already grabbed his bag and entered the bathroom. He put his toothbrush next to his sink, and quickly threw his products up on his counter. Then he looked over at Olivia's space, It was extremely neat and everything was in order.

"Hey Nick," Olivia yelled from the bedroom.

Nick grabbed his now empty bag and went to her, she'd finished with her clothes and was now standing in the middle of the room with her jacket over her arm.

"When the guys put away the house stuff they forgot to stock the fridge," Olivia said. "I'm going to head to the store, do you wanna come or..?"

Nick smiled and nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Yeah, I have to get stuff for dinner tonight anyway." Nick was extremely excited to cook for Olivia, he had a feeling she was going to love his mama's taco bake recipe.

"Now all we have to do is find a store," Olivia sighed. They made their way downstairs, Nick allowing Olivia to go in front of him. He really did try not to watch her ass as she made her way down the steps, but every time he'd look away his eyes would always end up right back. Her ass was so luscious and Nick couldn't help that he had the need to worship it, he wanted desperately to reach out and softly caress the firm cheeks of her backside. "Nick?" Olivia's soft voice brought him out of his imaginings.

Nick's tan skin took on a red tint as he blushed at being caught, "Yeah, Liv?"

"Who was at the door earlier?" Olivia asked, stepping off the bottom step.

"Neighbors. We got invited to a party tomorrow night at a house down the street," Nick said. "They were acting strange, they treated me like we treat suspects, asking all these questions about our background. I had a feeling the wife would've kept going if not for the husband."

"They're hiding something," Olivia said as she opened the front door. "Now we've just got to figure out what."

Nick nodded and followed her out, stopping to lock the door behind them. Olivia was standing by the passenger side of their new 4-door Audi A3 Coupe. The department had definitely prioritized this one, and had obviously spent a lot of money on pulling it off. The guy was murdering rich people, so that definitely helped in getting them a brand new car and a house that was decorated with pieces from the Pottery Barn catalog.

Clicking the unlock button on his key chain, he let Olivia in while he ran around to the other side, slipping into the drivers seat. "I could seriously get used to this car, Liv."

Olivia only nodded, and played with the GPS. "There's a store only a few miles from here," Olivia murmured, while she tapped on it with her nail. She leaned over into his personal space and placed the GPS in it's holder. Nick's grip tightened on the wheel as he backed out of the driveway, ready to follow the instructions coming out of the machine.

Neither of them noticed the eyes watching them from across the street.

* * *

AN: Boom! Next chapter will have them at the store, who doesn't wanna see Bensaro fighting over which taco sauce to get? Come on! Leave me reviews, pretty please!?


	3. Chapter 3

Playing House:

Chapter 3: Surrender the Nutmeg.

* * *

Nick POV:

Nick sighed as he stood next to Olivia outside the supermarket. There was a huge sale going on today, so the number of people at the store was doubled. They stood watching the swarm of people outside, they were gathered in a group fighting over carts. Nick would be damned if he was going to make his way through a bunch of angry soccer moms. Nick looked at Olivia, Olivia looked back at Nick. Nick managed to take those eyes staring into his for a while, but eventually he caved.

Nick looked at the now larger crowd of angry women and winced "Don't make me do this, Liv."

Olivia just smiled, "Go get em' tiger."

Nick stepped forward and squeezed into the crowd, worming his way through. Nick got scratched, almost punched, and one of the women had definitely grabbed his package. Nick grinned when he felt the cart's handle under his hand, snagging the cart before somebody else could. He fought his way back out and made his way to an amused looking Olivia.

"Good work, Amaro." Olivia said, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, well next time you get to get assaulted while trying to grab a cart," Nick said, his tone joking.

Olivia finally let out the most adorable laugh, and Nick melted. He knew he'd go through that women pit again in a heartbeat if she asked him to.

"Let's do this," Nick grumbled, pushing the cart towards the entrance with Olivia following close behind. The inside of the store was even worse, people were pushing each other and the place was packed almost wall to wall. With another sigh he pushed the cart towards the meat isle, checking to make sure Olivia was still beside him as he squeezed his way through the people. Nick stopped the cart and took in the assortment of meats, there were plenty to choose from so he grabbed a few packages of hamburger, some chicken, and a thing of ham. Olivia remained quiet as she stood next to him, watching him fill their cart. Next he made his way to the dairy isle, which was a bit more competitive. He quickly snagged a thing of milk, butter, sour cream, and cheese.

"My god, Nick. What's wrong with people up here?" Olivia asked as she took in the people fighting over the last pack of cheese.

"People like sales, Liv."

Nick used one hand to push the cart and the other to help Olivia out of the crowd. He started to make his way to the sauces when Olivia stopped him with a hand to his arm. She pulled him into the produce isle. Nick watched as she grabbed apples and pears, and then some celery stalks. When she turned around she tried to pull him in another direction, but he resisted.

"We need sauce, Liv." Nick argued.

"You'd rather have sauce over coffee?" Olivia arched an eyebrow and placed her hand on her hip.

"Point taken. Lead on," Nick sighed. He could already tell fighting with Olivia was going to be an uphill battle, the woman was never wrong!

Once they grabbed the coffee stuff, Olivia finally allowed Nick to lead her to the sauce isle. Nick grabbed the Taco sauce and then looked at Olivia.

"You done?" Olivia asked.

"No. We need nutmeg," Nick said, pushing his way through the crowd to the spices. There was only one bottle of Nutmeg left and Nick dove for it, he had just grabbed the vile when a hand landed over his.

"Hey, I saw that first!" a guy said. "I grabbed it first, man." Nick argued back.

Nick was still playing tug of war with the guy when Olivia stepped up next to them. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to release the nutmeg," Olivia said with a strained voice, flashing her badge. The guy immediately stepped back with a grunt and moved on. Olivia burst into laughter, doubling over as she held her middle.

"Well done, Benson." Nick smiled.

"I know how important your spices are to you," Olivia grinned, still laughing. "What are partners for?"

"Do you need anything before we get out of here?" Nick asked.

Olivia just grabbed the cart and made her way out of the isle, Nick just followed. She turned into the cereal isle and began dumping corn flakes, cheerios, and lucky charms into their cart. Then she went and grabbed a thing of orange juice. Nick kept silent but when she went to grab frozen waffles out of the freezer he stopped her.

"Olivia, I'll make you waffles. Those can't taste too good." Nick argued.

"Nick, they are my waffles," Olivia warned.

"At least get the mix, I'll make you some," Nick continued.

"Nick, these are fine. These are faster," Olivia said, throwing them into the cart.

"Olivia, those may be faster but they aren't better than homemade. Let's just get the mix," Nick said, moving to grab the box.

Olivia grabbed it first, and kept her hand over it. "Don't mess with my waffles, Amaro."

"Liv.." Nick started, preparing to press the issue some more.

"I flashed my badge to get you some spices," Olivia pointed out. "I get to keep my frozen waffles."

Nick opened his mouth, and then closed it. "Uh-I-Fine."

Olivia just smiled and made her way to checkout. Nick followed reluctantly. It was now further enforced in his mind that he was never going to win an argument with Olivia Benson.

**~X0~X0~X0~**

Nick grinned as he set the pan on top of the counter, stepping back and admiring his work. The taco bake had turned out perfectly and Nick was extremely satisfied. His madre would be proud.

"Olivia, food's ready." Nick yelled, as he pulled their plates out. She came in a few minutes later, her eyes still on her phone.

"Captain says we did good with the cameras," Olivia said, looking up. "Wow, that looks amazing. You said your mom taught you that?"

Nick nodded and made their plates, handing one to Olivia and taking the other for himself. His mother had wanted her son to be prepared for married life, she didn't want his wife to have to do all the cooking like she had to- so she'd taught Nick to cook. Nick sat down on the stool at the counter next to Olivia, watching as she took her first bite. She moaned, "Oh god, Nick. That's so good." Her moan went straight to his dick, she turned him on without trying.

"Thanks, my mother she uh- she always told me one day a woman would appreciate my cooking," Nick laughed.

"I'm sure Maria and Zara loved this, my god you're amazing," Olivia groaned.

"Zara loved daddy's food, she couldn't get enough. But Maria, she never did. She was never home, and when she was she wasn't interested," Nick said.

Olivia set her fork down and looked over at him. "I'm sorry about your separation, Nick."

"It's alright, you remember that day I told you I was a firm believer in divorce?" Nick asked, taking another bite.

"Yeah, the day you told me about your father," Olivia replied, never taking her eyes off him.

"Maria just had to get the hell out. I don't blame her, we weren't right for each other," Nick murmured. "I'm going to call Zara tonight, Maria lets me Skype with her every so often," Nick finished, setting his fork down and rubbing a hand over his face. He was still pissed at Maria, but not because she'd left. He understood why she'd left, and he'd accepted it. But she'd taken his daughter away from him, and only allowed him three calls a week. It was like she was trying to get Zara to move on, trying to get his little girl to forget her father.

"How about Gil?" Olivia asked, turning so she could face him.

"Gil's accepted me, at first he was a bit angry we lied to him, but he's glad he knows who his father is." Nick replied. "But Cynthia, she- she wants more. She wants me to be more than just a father to Gil."

Olivia frowned, tilting her head. "What's that mean?"

"It means she expects me to- be with her," Nick said. "She wants to live with me, wants to get back together."

Things had been going great with his son lately, they'd been visiting almost every day. He'd taken his son out to sporting events, played catch in Central park, helped him ride his bike. Nick was a proud father, and he liked the way things were progressing. Cynthia didn't. She wanted Nick to be there all the time, wanted to move in together. She wanted him to be with her in the most important way a man could be with a woman. But he couldn't. Nick respected women, and he refused to be with Cynthia when his heart wasn't in it.

Nick could try to deny it until he was blue in the face but somewhere along the rocky road of their partnership Olivia Benson had unknowingly stolen his heart, and it wouldn't be fair to himself or to Cynthia to start a relationship. He knew he didn't stand a chance with his partner, but he wouldn't lay with Cynthia while he gazed lustfully at his partner every time he saw her.

Olivia took another bite and Nick could see her processing, thinking carefully about what she was going to say next.

"Do you want that too, Nick?" Olivia finally asked.

"I- it's complicated," Nick sighed.

"Does she know you're here?" Olivia asked, getting up from her stool and taking her plate to the sink.

"Yeah, she was upset about me not being available for Gil," Nick said.

"Liv?" Nick called out, waiting until Olivia raised her head. "Is this TMI?"

"No," Olivia smiled, remembering the time he'd said those exact words to her.

Nick watched as Olivia looked back down and continued washing her dish, cleaning it thoroughly, then putting it on the rack. She turned back around and leaned her back on the sink, looking at him from across the counter. Mocha orbs met dark chocolate and they simply stared at each other for a while, conveying emotions threw their eyes that they couldn't express with words.

"I uh- I think I'm going to bed, it's been a long day," Olivia said, finally breaking their eye contact.

"I'll take the guest bed..I-," Nick began, but Olivia interrupted him.

"We know this guy has ways of watching his victims from inside their homes, Nick," Olivia said. "We know he takes interest in new couples, what if he's already scoping us out?" Olivia sighed. "Won't it look strange when you don't come to bed with your wife?"

Nick gulped at her words, he wanted nothing more than to go to bed with her. But he was worried about how he was going to react, he doubted he'd be able to sleep with her next to him. He'd fantasied about it for so long, and now that he was really going to share a bed with her he realized he was so nervous his leg was starting to shake. No- No. He was an adult, not a teenage boy. He could share a bed with her and he'd be completely fine.

"I'll be up after I call Zara," Nick answered.

"Okay," Olivia nodded, starting to make her way out of the kitchen before she stopped and turned back around. "Do you- uh do you have a preferred side of the bed?"

Nick shook his head, "No. I'm good on either side."

Olivia just nodded again, and quickly exited without another word. He stood up once he heard her feet hit the stairs and the bedroom door open and close. He moved over to the sink and washed his dish cleaning it quickly and then drying it, placing it in the rack with Olivia's. His phone beeped and Nick pulled it out of his pocket.

Fin: _What did you guys talk about? Cameras don't have sound._

Nick clicked his keypad and typed his reply out. _You supposed to be watching us round the clock?_

He was grateful the cameras lacked sound, he didn't want the rest of the squad to hear about his home life. He'd prefer to keep that conversation between himself and Olivia. He was a little embarrassed to have dumped his problems onto her, but she hadn't complained and had actually listened to him. He was grateful for Olivia. She made him feel connected to another human being, he felt close to Olivia. They got each other, it didn't matter if their connection was platonic for Olivia. They still had a connection and Nick loved that.

Nick's phone beeped again and he pulled it out.

Fin: _Nah, but we gotta check every few hours to make sure you guys are still alive. How come you never told me you could cook, Rachel Ray? We've been ordering takeout, we could of just made you bring in something. _

Nick found the camera in the kitchen and raised his middle finger, laughing.

Fin: _Watch it, Amaro. I could be watching you sleep tonight. _

Nick laughed and quickly replied, _There are no cameras in the bedroom._

His phone beeped again almost right away.

Fin: _That's what you think. Sleep tight, Martha Stewart._

Nick chuckled and clicked out of his messages with Fin and made his way into the living room, sitting on the couch. He'd call Zara first, since today was one of the only days Maria would allow him to talk to her this week.

"_Daddy_!" Zara immediately exclaimed as she answered.

"Hey baby, what has my little princess been up to, huh?" Nick asked. He missed his daughter more than anything, it felt like a piece of him was gone now that she wasn't there.

"_Me and mommy have been hanging out with Phil. He's nice but I like you way better, daddy_," Zara answered, talking so fast Nick could barley understand her.

Nick's jaw clenched and he fought to maintain a happy tone. Maria was bringing other men around his daughter? "Who's Phil, baby?"

"_That's mommy's boyfriend, when do I get to come home daddy_?" Zara asked, her tone sounding slightly less exuberant. Nick's heart broke all over again as he answered his daughter.

"Soon, Zara. I promise," Nick sighed. Looking at his watch he realized it was past her bedtime. "Zara, it's time for bed. Goodnight, I love you. Can you hand the phone to mommy?"

"_Night daddy, I love you too_."

He heard scuffles as Maria took the phone, "_Nick_."

"Maria, you're bringing other men around Zara?"

"_Nick, Phil's just a friend. I know we're not divorced yet, but.._" Nick cut her off. "You think I'm jealous, Maria? I don't care if you date, I just don't want strange men around Zara!"

"Wouldn't be the first time you got jealous, would it Nick? _Phil's a good man, and he's been good to Zara. He's just a friend,_" Maria raised her voice as she spoke. "_I have to go, have a good night, Nick._"

Nick slammed his phone down onto the couch and leaned his head back, sighing. He knew Maria was going to do what she wanted to do, and he couldn't stop her, but he was still Zara's father and Maria should've told him about this. Picking his phone back up he scrolled to Cynthia's name, pressing the call button. He rested his head against the back of the couch as he listened to it ring.

"_Hello?_" Cynthia answered.

"Hey Cynthia, it's me," Nick said as she answered the phone.

"_Oh, hey Nick. Gil's already asleep_," Cynthia said softly. "_He really missed you today._"

Nick smiled. "I missed him too, but I have to work."

"_Speaking of work, how's it going?_" Cynthia asked.

"It's going good, we're just settling in. Nothing really interesting."

"_You know, Gil wasn't the only one who missed you today,_" Cynthia said, her tone flirty.

Oh god, Nick thought. "Yeah, uh- what are you guys doing tomorrow?" Nick asked trying to change the subject.

Cynthia sounded extremely disappointed, "_I have work and Gil's going to school. Nothing different._"

"Oh alright," Nick answered. He looked at his watch, it was almost 1 in the morning. "I should try and sleep, Cyn. I'll call tomorrow."

"_Goodnight Nick_," Cynthia answered. "_I'll be thinking of you_."

Nick hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket. Standing he turned off the living room light and then made his way to the stairs, slowly climbing them. He literally tip toed to the bedroom door, he didn't know if Olivia was already asleep and he didn't want to wake her. He softly turned the doorknob, and slowly opened the door enough so that he could slip his body through, once he was inside he closed the door just as softly. The room was dark but the windows allowed some light to shine in and it took a second for his eyes to adjust.

The moonlight illuminated Olivia's sleeping form. She was curled up underneath the thick duvet, her face was relaxed and Nick could hear her even breathing. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he stood there watching her sleep for a few moments before he softly made his way over to he dresser. Cracking it open he grabbed a pair of pajama pants and tip toed past the bed into the bathroom.

He left the light off so that it didn't shine into the bedroom and disturb Olivia's sleep. He undid his belt in the dark, and pulled his pants down, slipping his pajamas on to replace them. Then he picked up his jeans and threw them in the hamper. Opening the door, Nick slowly made his way to his side of the bed, nervously pulling back the covers and climbing in.

He could do this. He could sleep next to her without any issues. He had this.

Nick sighed, and turned over so he was facing away from Olivia.

He closed his eyes and let the sound of her soft breathing lull him to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Husband & Wife.

Chapter 4: Morning Wood.

* * *

_**Olivia's POV:**_

When Olivia first started floating into consciousness the first thing that popped into her head was that she was extremely warm. She let out a weak moan and snuggled further into her pillow. She could feel the breeze coming from the open window, the morning rays on her skin, feel the strong arms around her. Wait- Olivia cracked an eye open and closed it almost immediately. It was bright. After a minute she opened her eyes again and almost jerked back. Nick's arms were wrapped around her and she could feel him cuddled into her back, _all_ of him.

His hard penis was poking into the spot right above her ass, almost grinding into her. Olivia bit back a moan, and squirmed a bit. His arms only tightened and his hips rocked again. Olivia stayed there for a second, tempted to just close her eyes and go back to sleep. Then she remembered that the precinct had given her a fake job so she could come in and update them. She looked at the alarm that was on the nightstand. She had to get to "work." Olivia pulled Nick's arm off her waist, holding it up and squirming out from under him- trying not to think about that_ glorious_ body part that had just been against her. When she was finally free, she slowly inched off the bed and stood at the foot watching him for a minute.

He was beautiful. His face looked peaceful and his tan skin was letting out a healthy glow in the morning light. Olivia sighed and resisted the urge to climb back into bed, instead walking over to the closet and quietly opening the door. Looking at the side that held her clothes, she skimmed through the rack- skipping over the dresses and skirts before she realized that her wardrobe didn't contain slacks. Great. She picked out a plain black dress that looked like it could work, it stopped just above the knee and was sleeveless with a relatively modest neckline. She threw the dress over her arm, picked out a pair of black heels, and a white blazer to go with it. Once she'd balanced her clothes in her arms she made her way out of the closet and tiptoed to the bathroom.

Turning on the light, she looked at her mused hair and makeup free face. She was so glad Nick hadn't woken up first. Olivia was secretly an extremely self conscious person, and she had never enjoyed anybody seeing her without the mask on. It made her feel vulnerable. Sighing she removed her night clothes, tossing them into the hamper. She purposefully avoided looking at her body in the mirror, opting to step into the shower stall right away.

Olivia started the water and grabbed her body wash, dabbing some onto her washcloth. She soaped her body up. When she moved to place her soap back she caught sight of Nick's products. That made her think about Nick. They'd been working good together, last night when Nick had told her about his home life Olivia's heart had broken for him. She knew how much he cherished his daughter, and hearing him almost break down had impacted her emotions. She had almost cried herself. But when he'd begun talking about Cynthia, Olivia had felt an irrational feeling of jealousy. Nick was her partner, she worked with him, why had she cared that the mother of his child wanted him? Olivia didn't even want to think about it, she just wanted to finish her shower and get to the precinct.

Rinsing her body, Olivia then grabbed the shampoo and quickly lathered her hair up. She was trying to finish quickly, she didn't want to still be in the house when Nick woke up. It would be extremely awkward to have a conversation with him when she'd woken up to his erection pressed into her. It didn't matter that she might have enjoyed it. Olivia rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and did one last final body rinse, turning off the shower after she'd made sure all the soap was off. Wringing her hair out, she opened the stall door and grabbed for her towel.

Wrapping it around her body, she stepped out of the shower and walked over to her sink. She grabbed her toothbrush and put paste on it, turning on the faucet and running water over her brush, she then put it into her mouth. After she'd thoroughly brushed her teeth, she spit and rinsed her mouth out. Putting her toothbrush away, she then grabbed for her clothes. She dressed quickly, still trying to get out the front door before Nick opened his eyes. After she slipped her heels on, she wiped away some of the steam on the mirror and did her makeup. She heard Nick start to stir, so she quickly just ran a brush through her damp hair and rushed out of the bathroom, flicking the light off on her way out the door.

Nick was still asleep, thankfully. She let out a sigh of relief and made her way downstairs. She thought about the coffee machine and then she looked at the front door. She was headed for the kitchen when she remembered the man who was close to waking upstairs.

She'd stop for coffee on her way in.

**~X0~X0~X0~**

**(Nick POV:)**

Nick's eyes slowly opened and he groaned. Looking over to Olivia's side, he sighed when he realized it was empty. She must've already went into the precinct. Nick quickly sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He was extremely proud of himself, he'd slept in the same bed as Olivia and hadn't done anything embarassing. He knew he could do it.

He had no idea what he was meant to do for the next three hours as he waited for Olivia to get home. He could always go for a morning jog. That sounded like a good idea, so he got up and started to make his way over to the closet- wait- would it be acceptable for him to jog around the neighborhood here? Nick didn't want to take any chances. There went his jog.

What now? He knew he needed a shower, and since he wasn't going for a jog, he could do that now. Making his way into the bathroom, he flicked on the light. He froze. The room was full of Olivia's scent, and it had all just come rushing at him as soon as he'd opened the door. Nick groaned. He loved the way Olivia smelled, he'd been surrounded by her smell since he'd woken up. First in bed and now in the bathroom. He was in heaven and hell at the same time. Her scent was teasing, it was like a soft kiss. It was subtle, but so strong at the same time. It was a mix of spring flowers, with a splash of perfume thrown in.

He stepped further into the room and looked at Olivia's counter. She'd left her stuff out. Her makeup bag was still there, and some of her sprays still littered the counter top. She'd left in a rush- had she been late? Nick looked at her side for a moment longer, before going over to his. That's when he spotted the towel in the hamper. The still wet towel. Olivia's wet towel. Nick gulped. She'd been in this bathroom, naked and wet, not even an hour ago. Nick could feel his body responding to the mental image of Olivia's body, naked and slick with moisture, water droplets running down her olive skin.

Walking over to the shower stall, he turned on the cold water and dropped his pants.

~X0~X0~X0~

Sipping his coffee, Nick sat on the couch and flipped on the television. It was only 9 AM and he was already bored out of his mind. He'd texted Olivia, asking if there was anything new but he hadn't gotten a reply. He wasn't used to staying home all day. He thought about taking a walk in the neighborhood, but he didn't want to risk running into anymore overly creepy neighbors.

After his shower Nick had gotten dressed. He'd picked out a black polo and a pair of khaki pants. He felt extremely strange lounging around the house in slacks, but he wasn't willing to show his boxers to the rest of the squad. Fin would've never let him live that one down.

Leaning back on the couch he rested his head on a pillow as he watched the news. He had just gotten comfortable when the doorbell rang. Groaning in frustration, he got up, and moved down the hall to the door. Opening it he mentally shivered when he realized it was Pam.

"Hey Pam," Nick said, his tone light.

"Good morning, Nick." Pam greeted, a smile on her face. "Was just checking that you and your wife..."

"Olivia," Nick supplied.

"You and your wife Olivia are still coming tonight?"

Nick nodded, "Yeah, we're coming. Liv's really excited."

"Oh good, good," Pam sighed with relief. "We were so worried you wouldn't be able to make it, everybody's looking forward to meeting you."

Nick frowned. He'd heard of being a friendly neighbor, but these people seemed a little too anxious to meet them. They were definitely up to something.

"Yep. Should we bring anything?" Nick asked.

Pam shook her head, "Oh no! No. Just bring yourselves," Pam paused and looked into Nick's eyes. "You're very handsome, Nick."

He didn't know what to do here. Was this woman coming on to him? He didn't want to insult her, so he simply smiled. "Thank you. Uh-" Nick was struggling with something to say when his phone rang. Amen, Nick thought. He pulled his cell from his pocket and looked at the screen. It was Olivia.

"Excuse me, one moment Pam," Nick said. Pressing the answer button he held the phone to his ear.

"Hey, honey. How's work?" Nick asked.

"_Nick?_" Olivia asked, her tone confused.

"That's great, Liv. Pam stopped by, apparently everybody's excited to meet us tonight," Nick practically cooed into the phone.

Pam wore a smile as she listened in on his conversation. Nick smiled back and held up a finger.

"_Oh. She's there?_" Olivia asked.

"Yep, wanted to make sure we were coming tonight. You told your boss you needed to leave early right?" Nick asked, conveying secret messages to Olivia he hoped she understood.

"_Yeah, I'll be there soon_," Olivia said. "_There's nothing new with the case. I gave our report. Captain says to keep up the good work,_" she sighed.

"Alright. I love you too, sweetie. Have a good day," Nick answered, ending the call.

He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and turned back to Pam. "Sorry about that, just checking in with me," Nick said.

"Oh, that's fine," Pam waved her hand. "I've gotta run. Last minute party details, but you make sure to be there on time, alright?"

"Will do," Nick nodded, still wearing his fake grin. "Bye Pam, have a good one."

He closed the door and breathed deeply. Olivia had perfect timing, that conversation could've gone south real fast. Making his way back to the living room, Nick sat on the couch awkwardly. What now? Nick just shrugged and resumed his earlier position, leaning back on the couch.

Oh, baseball was on.

~X0~X0~X0~

He had to refrain from jumping from the couch as soon as he heard Olivia's key in the lock. That would look desperate, like he'd been doing nothing all day. Which was the truth, he'd stayed glued to the couch the whole time she was at the precinct. He sat up and flipped the channel from baseball to the News. He was trying to look like he'd been productively watching the weather report when she walked in. He didn't look away from the T.V, choosing to act like he hadn't heard her enter.

"Any chance of rain tonight?" Olivia asked, a small laugh escaping her.

"Well actually-" Nick looked up and his breath caught. Olivia was standing in the doorway, leaning on the wall. She was wearing a black dress that showed off her long tan legs. Then his eyes raked up her body. The dress was tight, and hugged her perfectly showing off her curves. The neckline barley showed any cleavage but his mouth was dry. She'd left her hair down and curly. She looked beautiful. He cleared his throat. "Uh- What?"

"Rain?" Olivia asked, looking amused.

"60 percent chance," Nick said, his mouth still lacking moisture. "I think we'll be okay."

Olivia nodded and stepped further into the room. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't look away. "What have you been doing all day, Nick?" Olivia asked, sounding really interested.

Shit. He didn't want to tell her the truth. He'd been watching the clock and waiting for her to get home. That sounded pathetic even in his head. "Well, Pam knocked pretty early. After she left, I made breakfast. Kept busy," Nick said, his voice strained. "How bout you?"

"I gave our report of last night, caught up on some paperwork. I don't have to go in for a while, there was nothing for me to do. Cragen said he'd inform me if they got anything, and for us to update him if anything significant happens. Oh and Fin sends his best," Olivia sighed.

"What are we going to say if someone asks why you don't leave for work everyday," Nick asked.

"I'll tell them I only have to attend required board meetings," Olivia replied. "What time's the thing again?"

"Six," Nick said, his eyes going back to the news.

"It's five now, I have to get ready. What are you wearing tonight?" Olivia asked.

Nick personally didn't see what was wrong with what she had on, but he didn't argue. "This?"

Olivia nodded and left the room without another word. Nick had to fight to keep his eyes away from her ass.

He heard her heels going up the steps and he sighed, leaning back on the couch again. God she was gorgeous. He'd always noticed his partners beauty, no matter what she was wearing but that dress had made her look like pure sex. Nick had wanted to push her down on the couch and claim her lips. Nick knew her body would be perfect. But he didn't only want her for her body, he wanted her for who she was. She was the most passionate woman he'd ever met. She didn't show it, but Olivia had a huge heart. She had so much patience, so much compassion, but she could also be cold. He'd witnessed that side of her when they'd been introduced, and damn if she didn't turn him on even back then.

He knew he'd be required to touch her tonight, to be close to her. He was nervous but he was fairly certain he'd be okay. He made it through last night okay, he could do this. Nervousness wasn't the only emotion he was feeling tho, he was excited too. He finally got to claim her in the way he wanted to, he got to hold her in his arms. He was just disappointed it wouldn't be real, for her this was just an assignment.

He checked his watch. It was five thirty. They had to leave soon in order to make it on time. Getting up he left the living room and climbed the stairs, hesitating at the bedroom door. He knocked and waited.

"Nick, you can come in." he heard Olivia say. He twisted the doorknob and entered the room. She was standing by the bed, using it for support as she slipped her shoes on. Nick's chest tightened. The dress she wore now was white and flowing, it stopped mid- thigh and showed off more leg than the dress from earlier. The neckline was plunging, and he got a very good view of olive cleavage. Her hair was up in a clip now, but she'd left her bangs down.

"Do I look alright?" Olivia asked as she tightened the strap on her shoe.

Nick just couldn't right now. He felt so much love for her in that moment, it was crazy. "You look beautiful, Olivia," he whispered.

She looked up at him with a smile that melted him. "Thank you. Are you ready?"

~X0~X0~X0~

"Welcome!" Pam greeted as she welcomed them into the backyard. Nick smiled and gestured to Olivia, "Pam, this is my wife Olivia."

Olivia smiled and took Pam's hand. "It's great to meet you, Pam."

"Right back at you, Olivia," Pam laughed. "Come on you two, the rest of the group's been waiting."

The patio was huge, there were tables set up, and people were everywhere. Nick could smell the grill and the beer. Ken walked up out of nowhere with two beers in his hands. "This must be Olivia, huh? It's nice to meet you, Olivia. Beer?"

Nick accepted both of them from Ken, handing one to Olivia. He didn't like the looks Ken was shooting at her, he was looking at her body. Nick's jaw clenched and he popped the cap off his beer, taking a quick swig. Pam gestured for people to come up. The rest of their neighbors were just as excited to meet them- if not more. Nick did notice that Ken wasn't the only man that gave Olivia looks, nearly every man that came up checked Olivia out. Nick was practically growling by the time they'd been introduced to everybody.

Pam gestured to a table, and Nick placed a hand on Olivia's back guiding her over. As soon as they sat down they were bombarded with questions. "So, what do you guys do for a living?" Jake asked. Jake was one of the ones who was really staring Olivia down, and Nick took note of him. "Well, Nick designs websites, and I'm on the board of directors at a university," Olivia said, placing her hand over Nicks. Nick flipped his hand so that he was holding hers and smiled. Her hand in his was the only thing that kept him sane as they answered question after question.

~X0~X0~X0~


	5. Chapter 5

Playing House.

_**Chapter 5: Stalked**_

* * *

**Olivia POV:**

Olivia leaned her head back against the cool porcelain of the tub, taking a sip from the glass of wine she'd poured. She had felt a bit violated after that party, those neighbors had really made her skin crawl.

They'd been asked questions for over an hour. She felt like she was being interrogated, and Nick had been noticeably tense. Nick had kept her extremely close. His arm had remained around her for the whole night. Finally she noticed why Nick had been so on edge when she'd been in the middle of biting into a extremely thick hamburger. One of the bigger men in the neighborhood had walked up- obviously intoxicated- and commented that he was glad that she could 'handle her meat'.

She had almost gagged and Nick's whole body went rigid. He had quickly thrown the rest of her burger away with a quick, "I'll make you dinner at home, Liv."

After the hamburger incident, Nick had wanted to leave, but they were there for a reason. She decided to mingle with different people. Between Nick's charm and Olivia's humor, they'd made plenty of friends.

They had been there for about three hours when her heels had really started killing her, she couldn't even stand without an intense pain shooting through her foot. At first when she told Nick that she couldn't stand he'd panicked, thinking she'd been drugged. When she had explained it was because of her shoes, he'd looked relived. Then he'd done something she hadn't expected, and was actually quite embarrassed about. He'd scooped her up in his arms with ease and carried her towards the gate bridal style, telling everybody goodbye as he went.

She had seen the looks the other women were giving Nick. Lust had been pouring out of their eyes at Nick's display of strength.

Once they'd gotten outside, against her strong protests, Nick had carried her to the car.

Sipping more of her wine, Olivia closed her eyes and groaned. She would've been lying if she said she hadn't been turned on by the way Nick had lifted her. He'd held her so tight, his body had been so warm. It reminded her of that morning, when she'd woken up with a very special part of Nick against her. Olivia's eyes popped open as she realized this was making her wetter than she had been in an extremely long time.

She was temped to put her glass down, and sneak her hand under the water. She shouldn't. Nick was downstairs talking to his_ son_, a son he had with a baby mama that wanted him back. That was reason enough to stop thinking about him. She managed to keep a Nick Amaro free head for about a minute, and then her brain popped back to this morning._ Nick had felt amazing pressed against her._ _He'd held her so tightly, so protectively, so lovingly. _

Olivia lost the battle. She set the glass down in a haze, her hand moving into the bubbling water. Her legs spread of their own accord and Olivia groaned. The jets had worked the water into a frenzy around her, the pressure on her center was intoxicating. She moved her hand lower, and began moving her fingers- softly stroking across her folds.

_Ohh._ _Fuck it, _Olivia thought. Spreading her legs a bit more, she sunk further down into the water. Moving her free hand up to pinch a nipple, she let the hand between her legs get to work. She spread her lips and teased her opening. She could imagine that Nick was in here with her, his head between her legs, his finger rubbing against her. The water was heating, and Olivia was burning up in the most delicious way. She quickly stuck a finger inside, feeling herself being stretched. _Wow, it had been a while._

She was just starting to move her finger, curving it and moving it in a wiggling motion inside of herself. She let a low moan escape, her body relaxing. God, she had missed this.

"Olivia, you in there?"

Fuck. She jolted up, splashing water over the edge of the tub as she struggled. "Yeah, hey, what's up?," Olivia asked in a strained voice.

"I made dinner, are you hungry?" Nick asked. She felt the heat shoot straight to her core at the sound of his voice, thick with exhaustion.

"I'll be right there," Olivia said, picking her wine back up and taking a large gulp.

Nick didn't reply so she'd assumed he'd went back downstairs. Damn it. She was so frustrated. She needed a release, but she couldn't stay in here much longer, Nick would come looking for her. That had been awkward enough once.

Reaching over she turned the jets off and drained the water, lifting herself up and grabbing her towel. Wrapping the towel around herself, she tied it in place. Hurriedly, she leaned down and grabbed her makeup bag. She didn't want Nick to see her so unkempt, with a sigh she picked up her foundation and unscrewed the cap.

~X0~X0~X0~

Olivia could hear Nick downstairs. It was becoming a routine that he'd make dinner, she'd go upstairs, and he'd call his family. She could hear him arguing with Maria. It only made her feel worse for wanting him like she did, he was dealing with family issues. Nick had bigger things to worry about than his partner having feelings for him.

Rolling over, she looked at the clock. It was nearing two am. She couldn't sleep. Throwing the covers back, she stood with a groan. She didn't want to lay up here and listen to Nick's private conversations, she felt like she was intruding. She needed to get out of that house, she felt like she couldn't breathe. Quickly she pulled a pair of jeans on, threw a hoodie over her night shirt, pulled her hair up into a ponytail, and grabbed the car keys off the nightstand.

Making her way downstairs she could still hear Nick's frustrated voice coming from the kitchen. She quietly unlocked the front door, quickly slipping out into the cool night air. Her head was a jumbled mess right now, and she just needed some space. Walking down the path she made her way to the car, unlocking it and slipping into the drivers seat. Backing out of the driveway, she prayed Nick wouldn't hear the cars engine. She didn't want him to know that she was coming unhinged.

She had feelings for her unavailable partner, was playing bait for a psychopath, and was sexually frustrated to the extreme- oh and her body didn't just want anybody, she wanted Nick. Yeah, she needed a minute. Making her way down the street she just drove out of Riverbend. Rolling down her windows she finally allowed herself to take a breath. The cool air felt refreshing on her skin, the sight of the world zooming past her calmed her racing heart. This had been what she needed.

She had to pull herself together. She was there with a job to do, catching a serial killer should be her top priority, not lusting after Nick. She wasn't some lovestruck teenage girl, she was a grown woman. She had to start acting like one.

There was a small boardwalk just outside of Riverbend. It was always alive with life, even at 2 am. Pulling the car over, she got out, stuffed some change into the meter, and made her way down the sidewalk. There was a coffee cart here and she could really use some caffeine. Olivia loved how crowded it was, people still littering the sidewalks. The neon lights shining brightly in the night.

When she got to the cart, she smiled up at the older man who ran it. "Hey, can I get one large coffee, please," Olivia said. He nodded and took her money, handing her a cup filled with delicious steaming liquid. She continued down the street, sipping her coffee, and breathing in the fresh air. She knew she should head back, she'd gotten out for a minute and cleared her head. She didn't want to go back yet, what if Nick was still talking to Maria? She didn't want to eavesdrop on them.

She still had twenty minutes left on the meter, and all of the shops on the boardwalk were all night stores. It couldn't hurt to look.

~X0~X0~X0~

Looking had turned into a hour shopping spree. It had started with a necklace with a small flower on the chain, Olivia had purchased it thinking it would be the only item she bought. No, here she was, loading the backseat of the car up with four large bags filled with underwear, jeans, shirts, and a new pair of headphones. She'd also bought another coffee for the ride home. Luckily she hadn't gotten a ticket for the expired meter.

Her phone vibrated and she pulled it out. She had four missed calls. Shit.

"Hello?" she answered, shutting the back door.

"_Liv, it's Fin_."

"Yeah, whats up?" She asked, slipping into the drivers seat.

"_Nick called. Said he went upstairs and you weren't there, he's been going out of his mind, Liv._"

Olivia sighed, "I went out for coffee, Nicks just overreacting."

Fin huffed, _"Liv, he started calling you at 2:30, it's now 4 in the morning. You were getting coffee for that long?_" Fin asked.

"Thank you for letting me know, Fin. I'm on my way now. Sorry we woke you," Olivia said, starting the car.

Fin just chuckled. "_It's alright, that's what I'm here for. You just get home before Amaro goes insane, you know how he is_."

"Yep. Have a goodnight, Fin," Olivia said, hanging up the phone and throwing it into the passenger seat.

She hadn't even thought of how Nick would feel when he went upstairs and she wasn't there. She hadn't heard her phone go off while she was shopping. God, she wasn't looking forward to stepping into that house. What was she supposed to say? Hey, Nick, sorry I worried you. I needed a minute, oh and I didn't answer your calls because I was busy, there was a clothes sale at the boardwalk.

It was an hour drive back to the house, that gave her plenty of time to figure out what to say. She was hoping that he was already asleep so she didn't have to say anything, she could just sleep in the guestroom and avoid him for a while. It would be close to 6 in the morning when she got there, he probably would be asleep. Stopping at a red light, she sipped her coffee. She was screwed.

~X0~X0~X0~

The sun was already coming up when she unlocked the front door. She stepped in quietly, and looked around. That's when she heard the t.v flick off and footsteps coming from down the hall. She didn't want him to see what she'd been doing all night and she panicked. She ran up the steps, quickly opening the guest bedroom door and throwing the bags inside. He was coming up the steps now, so she just stepped into their bedroom and sat down on the foot of the bed.

He stepped into the room a few minutes later. He looked disheveled. His eyes were slightly red, and he was wearing his pajamas. As soon as his eyes met hers she knew; Nick Amaro was absolutely livid.

"Nick, I didn't mean to sneak out on you last night," Olivia said, offering him a smile. "Just wanted to give you some privacy."

Nick just shook his head and moved closer. "Olivia, when I came in here last night, and I saw an empty bed.." his voice cracked.

"I'm so sorry, Nick," Olivia said.

He stepped into her personal space, pulling her into his arms. "Don't do that again. Please," Nick begged into her ear, holding her tightly against him.

~X0~X0~X0~

Olivia was in bed with Nick cuddled around her. The sun was pouring into the room, but they were just going to sleep. He was holding her tightly, like he was afraid she was going to disappear. Her head was tucked under his chin, and his arms were wrapped around her waist. She didn't mind Nick holding her, she was actually enjoying his warmth.

Stroking a fingertip over his bicep she snuggled further into him, closing her eyes and joining him in slumber.

AN: Next chapter, things are gonna..heat up.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I really hope you enjoy this!

Playing House:

So uh..things get smutty here. Enjoy!

Chapter 6: Show time.

* * *

**Nick's POV:**

Nick could faintly hear a booming pounding sound coming from somewhere. Opening his eyes, he realized somebody was knocking on the front door. Looking down he saw Olivia cuddled into him, her head resting on his chest. After she'd nearly given him a heart attack, he'd needed to hold her, and surprisingly she had let him. It felt so right to be holding her like this.

The knocking continued. He didn't want them to wake Olivia, so he carefully slid out from underneath her, putting a pillow under her head to replace him.

What time was it? Looking down at his watch he saw they had only been asleep for a few hours. It was only 1 in the afternoon. Running a hand through his messy hair, he opened the door. It was Amanda.

"Rollins? What are you doing here?" Nick asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Let me in would you?" she asked.

"Yeah, come in, sorry," he chuckled, stepping aside so she could enter.

"Well, since Olivia didn't come in today, captain sent me to give you guys an update," Amanda said, leaning in towards him. "We caught a guy on camera sneaking around the house last night."

So they'd done their job. They had hooked him. "So we're done here right?" Nick asked.

"Not exactly, the guy was dressed for cameras. He was in all black, mask, long sleeves. Uh- captain sent me here to inform you of some changes.," Amanda said, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

He heard the shower starting upstairs, and he smiled to himself. Amanda also heard it.

"Should I wait for Liv?" she asked, tilting her head. "This is kind of important and involves both of you."

"You can tell me, and I'll tell her," Nick said. "You being here could blow our cover."

"Alright. I'll make it quick then," Amanda sighed.

Nick nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"We need you to be more intimate," Amanda blurted, looking around nervously.

He was sure he hadn't heard right. "What?"

"Nick, this guy's just started watching you. He's interested. If he even thinks that something's off..it's over," Amanda said. "If you guys feel uncomfortable with that, you can always stop."

"What do you mean by..intimate?" Nick asked, folding his arms.

"Well, touching, a few kisses, and it'd help if you could..heat things up in the bedroom. The guy watched that room the most," Amanda looked uncomfortable. "We're not saying to go all the way, just look passionate. Are you in?"

Nick nodded. "I'll talk to Liv."

Amanda just gave him a pat on the shoulder and exited, closing the door behind her.

How was he supposed to tell this to Olivia?  
**~X0~X0~X0~**

Nick was back in bed, and he was nervous as hell.

Olivia had taken the news surprisingly well, but now they didn't know exactly how to initiate intimate contact. Every time they tried it felt awkward and forced.  
They'd been trying all day. When Olivia had been eating breakfast, Nick had wrapped his arms around her. The result, Olivia had almost elbowed him in surprise. He'd been watching sports and Olivia had come in, planning on cuddling. The result, she'd gotten so into the game, she'd forgotten all about her plans. After dinner Fin had felt so bad for them, he'd promised to text when the guy showed up, and they could take it from there.

Around the time they usually went to bed Nick had ran upstairs and lit candles, dimmed the lights, and shut the curtains. He knew anybody with binoculars could see straight threw those white curtains, and he was hoping the dim lighting would help give them a bit of privacy. The guy wouldn't think anything of the lights, candles were romantic. When Olivia had come in, she'd looked surprised, but she didn't say anything.

Olivia was in the bathroom getting ready. He didn't know what to expect. He didn't know what to do. He knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to make love to Olivia..but not like this. He didn't want to love Olivia, while some sick madman took his own pleasure watching through the window. He didn't want anybody watching when he undressed her, as he worshiped her body, as he laid her back and put his head between her legs, made her scream his name in ecstasy.

If he was honest he hadn't been expecting to even get to touch Olivia, he knew she only held platonic feelings for him and he had been okay with that. But now that he was going to know how her lips felt against his, how her body responded to his touch, how she tasted. It was going to destroy him, being able to hold her for just one night.

He lost his train of thought as the bathroom door opened, and she slowly stepped out. Nick didn't know how to respond when he saw her.

Olivia was dressed in a silky black robe that stopped mid-thigh and was tied at the waist, her brown hair was pinned up, and her face held minimal makeup- just a small amount of charcoal black eyeliner and some lip gloss. Nick felt his body began to respond as she shyly walked towards him, stopping at the edge of the bed and reaching for the knot on her robe.

"Ready?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Are you sure, Olivia?" Nick asked, trying not to drool.

She just nodded and untied the robe, holding it together with her hands. She looked almost scared to show him what was underneath.

Just as she was about to part the fabric, his phone vibrated.

_Fin: He's taking up position outside the bedroom window. We can't see in, so call if you need backup. Be careful._

He set his phone back on the nightstand and nodded at Olivia, tilting his head towards the window. She slowly began parting her robe, never letting her eyes leave his.

Nick nearly died as she dropped the robe. She was wearing a red Babydoll. The material over Olivia's breasts was lacy and almost see-through, there was a small bow under her cleavage. It stopped right at her hips, showing a hint of black satin panties. She reached up and took the clip out of her hair, shaking her hair out. Nick couldn't breathe. Olivia was standing in front of him, her tan skin almost glowing in the candle light, her body on display. His eyes were on overload, her full breasts strained against delicious lace, her toned thighs were visible to him, the gorgeous swell of her hips.

"Nick?" she called. "I uh- this was a bad idea." Olivia blushed and reached for her robe.

"Wait- Liv," Nick said, getting on his feet and moving towards her. "You don't need that."

Olivia looked surprised, but let him take the robe. He leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "We only have to go halfway, if you get uncomfortable let me know."

She nodded and placed her hand on his neck, pulling him towards her. She hesitated and stopped, her mouth only inches away from his. Nick thought she was going to change her mind, and then her lips were softly pressing against his. The feel of her lips was delicious, and Nick wanted more, but he didn't want to scare her off so he let her set the pace.

His hands went to her hips. Nick groaned as he felt the smooth material of her panties against his fingertips. Olivia suddenly took him by surprise and climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.

Nick knew he was hard, and with Olivia rubbing herself on his lap, he knew she could feel it. He sucked on her bottom lip, nipping it softly. She moaned and pressed her body even harder against him. Her lace encased breasts were rubbing against his bare chest, and he could feel her nipples hardening. Moving his hands, he grabbed her ass, squeezing softly. She felt so good.

Olivia was grinding herself on his erection and he felt like he was going to explode. He could feel her wetness through her panties, and it was driving him crazy. For a second he forgot that they were just putting on a show. When his tongue met hers, it was explosive. Her hands went into his hair, and his hands gripped her ass tighter. They let their tongues duel as their bodies slid together.

Nick flipped them over, letting Olivia wrap her legs around his waist. She looked amazing underneath him.

"Beautiful," he whispered, peppering kisses down her neck. Her hands were tugging at his hair as he sucked on her pulse point, she was bound to have a mark in the morning.

Nick thrust his hips into her, his dick sliding against her soaking core.

"Ohhh," Olivia groaned, arching up against him.

He brought his lips to Olivia's ear and sucked her earlobe into his mouth, nipping at it softly. Then he murmured into her ear, "Are you okay, Liv?"

"Oh yes," Olivia moaned, her hands running down his back.

Nodding, Nick reached down and pulled the covers up over them. He wasn't going to go all the way, no matter how bad he wanted to. But he still had to make it look real. He bent back down and began moving his head under the covers, licking his way down her neck.

~0X~0X~0X~

The man outside the window grinned and zipped his pants back up. This couple would do perfectly. With one last look at the beautiful lovers, he jumped down from the tree and made his way out of the yard.


End file.
